LIFE POINT: God wants family members to forgive one another. LEADER BIBLE STUDY

Transcription

1 JACOB AND ESAU LIFE POINT: God wants family members to forgive one another. LEADER BIBLE STUDY FAMILY LEVEL OF BIBLICAL LEARNING God loves families in the midst of divorce and other ways families are broken. God wants all believers to act as the family of God and help others in difficult times. BIBLE PASSAGE Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-45; 32:1-3; 33 WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE Let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7 UNIT VERSE Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 Not all twins are alike. There are two types of twins identical twins and nonidentical or fraternal twins. Jacob and Esau were as different as you can get. Esau was born first, and Jacob was born, grabbing onto Esau s heel. (Jacob means holder of the heel or heel snatcher. ) Esau was red and hairy. Jacob was smooth. Esau was his father s favorite. Jacob was his mother s favorite. There were many reasons for these two not to get along, and the passage states they started fighting (struggling) with each other before they were born. Their relationship was rocky from the start. Jacob and Esau suffered the final relationship break when their mother conspired to steal Esau s blessing. Esau had actually given Jacob his birthright for a bowl of soup. To understand, we need to know the importance of the birthright in biblical culture. The birthright belonged to the eldest son, and in this case, it was Esau. The birthright granted the oldest son a double portion of the family assets and a position of honor upon the father s death while the younger siblings equally divided the remaining half. Jacob and Esau struggled in Bible times just as families struggle today. Many families have similar issues with sibling rivalries and long-term grudges over wrongs both real and perceived. The positive lesson from this twin story is the restoration of the relationship and forgiveness. God wants family members to seek forgiveness. Sooner is much better than later, but later is better than never. How can you use personal family experiences to encourage preteens to be slow to anger and quick to forgive? How does thinking of the depth of forgiveness in Jesus sacrifice motivate His followers to forgive others? NOTE: Downloadable versions of items identified as CD are available in the Music and Print Extras Bundle. Items identified as DVD are available in the Digital Video Bundle. SUGGESTED DATE week of October 7 Training for Bible Studies for Life: Kids is available at ministrygrid.com/web/biblestudiesforlife. Bonus teaching helps and a social media plan are available at biblestudiesforlife.com/kidshelps. 40 Unit 2, SeSSion 1

2 PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS Balloon Tap 1. Appoint a volunteer to recite the New Testament books. If no one volunteers, encourage preteens to locate the books of the Bible in the table of contents. 2. Form groups of four to five preteens. Give each group an inflated balloon. 3. Guide groups to stand in a circle and attempt to keep the balloon in the air as they recite the New Testament Bible books in order. 4. Conclude by challenging one group to name all of the books in the New Testament, in order, without assistance. INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY Awkward Pictures 1. Share that preteens will pose for awkward family photos. Show your photo. 2. Form groups of four to five preteens, and direct one group to stand on the opposite side of the room. Give the box of props to the group. Explain that they should use the props to create an awkward family photo. 3. Recruit two volunteers from another group to hold the sheet between the class and the chosen group for one minute. 4. Lead preteens to countdown from ten to one. Signal the two sheet-holders to drop the sheet to show the group in its family portrait. Take pictures of their awkward family photo to be used only in class. Allow the other groups to participate until all groups have had the opportunity to create their photos. 5. Show the photos to preteens and allow them to vote for the most awkward family photo. Award winners with a piece of candy. 6. Explain that every family has awkward times. Tell preteens they will learn more this month about four different families from the Old Testament. MISSIONS EMPHASIS 1. Show the Latin America and the Caribbean Map and point out Argentina. 2. Show Family Mission Trip Part 1 video or tell the Missions in Argentina story. 3. Pray that more short-term teams will be willing to go to Argentina to minister to the Criollo people and tell them about Jesus. balloons Provide 1 inflated balloon for each group of 4 to 5 preteens. Allergy Alert: Some kids may be allergic to latex. You may also use a small lightweight ball to complete this activity. bed sheet; timer or stopwatch; small, individually-wrapped pieces of candy; cell phone with camera option box of props Put items in the box such as silly hats, signs, ties, and costume jewelry. Bring an awkward family photo to share. Teaching Tip: Check your church s policy of sharing photos of children. If you have several teachers with cell phones, check to see if you can airdrop the photos so the pictures can be looked at on several devices. DVD Click on the missions tab on the DVD menu to find the video Family Mission Trip Part 1. International Missions: Argentina (CD) Print the Missions in Argentina missions story and the Latin America and the Caribbean Map. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE PRETEENS 41

3 STUDY THE BIBLE GETTING TO THE POINT Loving My Family Title Banner (Pack Item 19) Direct preteens attention to the title banner. Explain that the dove is a symbol of forgiveness. Emphasize that peace is a result of forgiveness, and today preteens will learn about two brothers who needed to forgive each other. Pack Items 19, 20 Teaching Picture 6 DVD CD 6-8 balloons, 6-8 pieces of paper Write the answers to the review questions (page 91) on slips of paper, fold them and place them inside inflated balloons. Option: Review Question Strips (CD) hole punch, scissors, finepoint markers, masking tape 4-by-8-inch piece of cardboard Provide 1 piece for each preteen. 2 yards of string Provide this amount for each preteen. LOOK IN THE BOOK Story Sequence (Activity Page), Teaching Picture 6 Instruct preteens to turn in their Bibles to the Book of Genesis. Share with them that you will be teaching today s Bible story from chapters 25, 27, 32 and 33. Distribute and direct preteens attention to Story Sequence. Explain that as you tell the story preteens should write numbers 1-8, in chronological order, beside the events that occur in the story. Tell the story using the points listed below. --Isaac married Rebekah. Many years later, she was pregnant with twins. --Esau was born first; he was covered with hair and red-looking. He developed a love for hunting. Jacob was born second, and he enjoyed being at home. --One day, Jacob cooked some stew; Esau came in hungry. Jacob tricked Esau into giving him his birthright. A birthright was the promise to the firstborn son to receive twice as much of his father s money and property as other sons. --When Isaac was old, Jacob tricked his father into thinking he was Esau. --Issac gave Jacob the blessing that belonged to Esau. --Esau wanted to kill his brother for stealing the blessing, so Jacob ran away. --Years later, Jacob and his family were traveling through the land where Esau lived. Esau and four hundred of his men went to meet Jacob. Thinking that his brother was still angry with him, Jacob sent his children, servants and gifts ahead. --When Esau saw his brother Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him. Esau had forgiven his brother for stealing his birthright and his blessing. Review the correct order of the pictures in the Story Sequence activity. Show the Teaching Picture, and guide preteens to describe what part of the story is shown. Ask: Is it easy or difficult to forgive family members who have wronged us? Encourage preteens to ask God to help them if there are people in their families they need to forgive. 42 Unit 2, SeSSion 1

4 LIFE POINT God wants family members to forgive one another. Show the Jacob and Esau: Bible Story video as review if time allows. REVIEW CHALLENGE Do You Know the Question? Direct preteens to form a circle and distribute the inflated balloons. Invite the preteen who has the next birthday to pop his balloon and read the answer written on the paper. The preteen to his immediate right must state a question that matches the answer on the slip of paper. Continue around the circle until all preteens have popped their balloons and the preteen to the right has given the question that matches the answer. UNIT VERSE CHALLENGE Romans 12:10 Unit Verse (Pack Item 20), Families (CD, track 3) Display the poster and guide preteens to read it together. Inform preteens that they will be making a Unit Verse reminder. Distribute supplies (cardboard, string, hole punch and scissors). Direct kids to punch a hole on the top left side of the cardboard. Then instruct them to make parallel notches on each side of the cardboard to match the number of words in the verse, including the reference. Guide preteens to write words from the verse in random order one word beside each notch. Then, lead them to attach the yarn through the hole on the top lefthand side and place a knot in the yarn on the backside of the cardboard. Lead preteens to string the verse by placing the string in the notch beside the first word and wrapping it around the back of the card. They should continue until the verse is completed. Secure yarn with masking tape. OPTION: Memorize the Weekly Bible Verse: 1 John 4:7. APPLY THE BIBLE AND PRAY Show the Jacob and Esau: Life Action video. Ask: How do you respond when you aren t getting along with family members? Remind preteens that families have times of conflict, but God wants you to show forgiveness to your family members. Pray and ask God for help to show love to others, including family members. Dismiss preteens to Live It Out groups and encourage them to take their Activity Pages with them. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE PRETEENS 43

5 LIVE IT OUT CHOICE 1 5-by-7-inch heavyweight paper Provide 1 piece for each girl. assortment of Washi tape, scissors Provide enough for girls to share. CHOICE 2 index cards Give each boy 1 card. CHOICE 1 (GIRLS) Family Forgiveness Board, Apology Maze (Activity Page) 1. Distribute and call attention to the Apology Maze. 2. Read the instructions and help girls choose a partner. If there is an uneven number, ask another teacher to play. 3. Distribute a piece of precut heavyweight paper to each girl, and place the Washi tape rolls in the center of the table. 4. Invite girls to decorate their papers with a variety of the Washi tapes by placing 7-inch strips across the paper until it is covered. 5. Guide girls to choose strips that will represent members of their family. For instance: This blue tape represents my little brother. Once the cards are complete, invite volunteers to share their creations and the family members represented. 6. Point out to girls that this project is meant to be an art piece to serve as a reminder to forgive family members, because God wants families to love one another. 7. Close by inviting volunteers to pray for their families. CHOICE 2 (BOYS) Join a Family Game, Apology Maze (Activity Page) 1. Distribute the and call attention to the Apology Maze. 2. Read the instructions and help boys choose a partner. If there is an uneven number, ask a teacher to play. The partners are only for the Apology Maze. 3. Play the Join a Family Game. Distribute an index card to each boy. Urge boys to write their answers to the following three questions on their cards. Instruct them not to write their names on the cards and not to show their cards to anyone. --What is your favorite color? --What is your favorite season of the year? --What is your favorite food? 4. Collect the cards. 5. Choose a volunteer to be picker 1. Read the first card in the deck aloud. Based on the answers, ask picker 1 to tell you to whom he thinks the card belongs. If picker 1 chooses correctly, the card owner must stand beside picker 1 and join his family. If picker 1 chooses incorrectly, picker 1 must stand beside the preteen he thought was the card s owner and join his family. The person whom the card 44 Unit 2, SeSSion 1

6 LIFE POINT God wants family members to forgive one another. belongs to gets to be the next picker. You ll continue to play until all cards have been read aloud. The goal of this game is to grow big families by continuing to make the right guesses about to whom the cards belong. CHOICE 3 (BOYS AND GIRLS) Forgiveness Grid Game, Apology Maze (Activity Page) 1. Form two teams, and give each team eight paper plates and a marker. 2. Instruct teams to write on the paper plates things a friend or family member might do to them that would require forgiveness. (Examples could include: My brother borrowed my bike and wrecked it. My friend didn t pick me to play on her team at recess.) 3. Direct teams to stand on either side of the grid, and allow each team member to take his turn tossing his plates onto the grid. Share that if a team member throws a plate that lands successfully on the grid, he reads the situation written on the plate and his turn is over. If the player does not successfully land his plate on a square, he reads the situation on his plate and the other team says, I forgive you! Then the player is allowed to pick up the plate and place it on the grid. 4. Explain that the goal of each team is to get four plates in a row on the grid. Both teams may continually take turns tossing the plates and taking turns until one team has four plates in a row. 5. Invite preteens to choose a partner and complete Apology Maze on the Activity Page. WRAP UP Inform preteens that every family has times of conflict, frustration and miscommunication. Encourage them to ask God to help them if they need to forgive another family member or ask for forgiveness from a family member. Forgiveness is an important part of showing love to family members. Make sure each preteen has a set of Take-Home Cards. Challenge preteens to use the cards to review today s Bible story. Remind kids to give their One Conversation pages to their parents. CHOICE 3 16 paper plates, 2 markers of different colors masking tape Tape a 64-by-64-inch grid on the floor and divide it into 16 squares (four squares across and four squares down). Teaching Tip: This grid will be used during Live It Out, Session 2. WRAP UP Bible Studies for Life: Kids Take-Home Cards ( ) BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE PRETEENS 45